The disclosed invention relates to the field of workpiece handling and support, and in particular to the overhead support and mounting of thin, flat workpieces such as sheet rock to a ceiling.
In the construction industry, both walls and ceilings are covered with flat, broad coverings having a smooth exposed surface. A prime example is sheet rock. In the past, sheet rock has been attached to the ceiling joists using a crew of workers who would manually lift the sheet rock into an overhead position, and hold it in place while it is nailed or otherwise secured to the ceiling. Sheet rock is quite dense. Since the panels generally come in sheets four feet by eight feet (4'.times.8'), the panels are rather heavy and difficult to manipulate. While a two-man crew could mount ceiling panels, in most instances, a crew of at least three workers has generally been required. Two workers are necessary to lift and hold the panel in place, while a third secures the sheet rock to the ceiling. Mounting the sheet rock by this method is very strenuous and difficult work. Also it is not a particularly efficient procedure.
An additional problem with the manual lift and support procedure, is that the precise placement of the panel is most difficult. This is because it is difficult to manually hold the panel overhead against the ceiling while an attempt is made to precisely shift the panel into place. However, precise positioning of the panel is necessary for a professional looking finished product. Despite the problems associated with mounting sheet rock panels, the prior art has not specifically developed mechanical aids which can assist in holding the panel in place against the ceiling during fastening in place, but will also allow the panel position to be adjusted prior to being secured to the ceiling.
What is needed then is a mechanical aid for assisting workers in raising a sheet rock panel into place and thereafter holding the sheet rock panel in place while is it precisely positioned and permanently fixed to the ceiling joist.
Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide a means for holding a workpiece in position while the workpiece is attached to a fixture.
It is another object of the disclosed invention to provide a means for allowing the position of the workpiece to be precisely aligned while being held in place, prior to attachment to the fixture.